Cash boost hitting the Ulster Championship in 2019
The 2019 Nutt Travel MRA Ulster Motocross Championship, in all disciplines, will receive a massive cash boost of nearly £45,000 to the prize fund this year, with new sponsors, sponsors retained, and an injection of cash from the MRA, making it the most lucrative local off road series in Ulster history.
After years of working with DCAL, Department for Communities, 2&4 Wheel Sport and Sport NI in developing circuits and facilities, as well as Coaching and Athlete Development, with the advent of a new format, the Directors, and Chairman Philip McCullough have moved the focus back to the competitors, and as Philip puts it, matched the reward to the efforts put in by all the riders.
As the only official Governing Body of Off-Road Motorcycle Sport with a clear pathway for riders to World Championship level, as well as all required policies and legislation in place to ensure rider safety, the Directors felt it was time to raise the profile of the sport.
Banbridge based Adair Building Services will be the new title sponsor for the Premier MX1 class and with three races on the day, prize money is raised to £150 for 1st, £100 for 2nd, £75 for 3rd £50 for 4th and £30 for fifth, in all three races, meaning a rider who does the ‘treble’ will pocket £450.
Sports Insure sponsor the Premier MX2 Class in 2019 and will have the same prize money as MX1 but will run with the 450’s this year in an all-Premier race.
Magilligan MX Park will again be sponsoring the ‘Superpole’ action with vouchers for the winners of each Class.
Norman Watt Motorcycles will return as sponsor of the Semi Expert MX1 Class and MX2 Class, with again, increased prize money for their three races of £50 for 1st, £40 for 2nd, £30 for 3rd, £20 for 4th & £10 for fifth, but in addition to the cash, vouchers will be awarded from Watt Motorcycles for the top three per class on the day of £60, £40, £20, so a treble winner on the day will pocket £150 plus vouchers per class, and again, in an effort to allow the riders to race with their peers, the Semi Experts will race together and have concurrent but separate points for their own Championships.
The Clubman MX1 Class retains Robinson Concrete as a sponsor but is joined by CCM Racing from Dublin. They will run separately in the traditional manner, and their sponsorship package is £30 for first paying down to £10 for fourth. There will be vouchers from CCM as well for the top three overall on the day for 50 Euro, 30 Euro & 15 Euro, redeemable through their online website. The prize money will be paid per race.
Laverty Motocross together with Precise Protect Insurance will sponsor the Clubman’s MX2 Class. Their prize money along with CCM Racing Vouchers for the top three overall will be the same as the Clubman MX1 Class.
The Veterans Class has attracted sponsorship from Stephen Russell Motocross & Chilltec Refrigeration where vouchers will be paid to the top three.
Also adding to the excitement will be the Leo Matheson Ltd Endeavour Award, which will be given to the rider adjudged to have shown the most effort, improvement or similar on the season, and Beyond Signage have also added to the prize pot for all the classes listed above.
The Youth Classes have not left been out of all this investment, with the top three overall at all rounds, in all seven Youth Classes receiving vouchers courtesy of HTM Motorcycles, the Husqvarna dealer for Northern Ireland to the value of £80 for the winner, £50 for 2nd and £30 for 3rd, with Moto Graphix of Limavady also adding to the prizes with a £50 voucher per day to be awarded to the outstanding performance in a different class at each round. Rock Oil will provide product support and Edgar Electrical Wholesale will also be supporting the Youth Championships for the first time in 2019.
The Quadcross Championship has attracted sponsorship from National Quad retailer, ATV’s only for the Premier Class with prize money paid to the top six finishers. On the day if any rider wins all three races they will pocket £180.
Gilchrist Plant Hire & Haulage will support the Clubman’s Quad Class with prize money paid to the top six and the winner receiving £40 meaning if they can win all three will take home £120.
The Ballymac Hotel, continue their sponsorship of the Sidecarcross Championship and again any team winning all three races on the day will win £150 with prize money paid down to sixth place.
The Youth Quad classes are again supported by Lloyd Acoustics and J&L Race Preparation and Stephen Russell’s MotoX with presentation plates for the top three per class, and of course, finishers medals.
Speaking on behalf of the MRA, Philip McCullough added. “This has been long over due in the sport and we all hope that this sponsorship package will elevate the Championship to the level it should be at with the premier class winners crowned with the prestige that an Ulster champion deserves. Now we can all look forward to an exciting season of racing in 2019.”
Words: Maurice Montgomery – Newsletter
Pic: Nigel McKinstry
